Giant's parent company to open 800-job Lower Allen meat facility

By Jim T. Ryan,
August 29, 2012 at 8:00 AM
- Last modified: August 29, 2012 at 8:38 AM

Ahold USA, the Cumberland County-based parent of Giant Food Stores, plans to open a meat-packaging facility in Lower Allen Township in 2013 that will add about 800 jobs.

The 163,650-square-foot facility at 2628 Lisburn Road will be operated by Kansas-based Vantage Foods US to prepare and package beef and pork products for sale in Ahold's Pennsylvania and Maryland Giant stores, company spokeswoman Tracy Pawelski said. The Maryland stores are operated by Ahold's Giant Landover division.

Township commissioners approved the final land-development plan for the facility known as Yetter Court in May, and it is now under construction, township Manager Thomas Vernau said. When the facility was approved, little information was available about the facility or its ultimate tenants other than that it would be a meat-packaging facility.

Ahold is requesting a 10-year tax abatement under Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance laws, or LERTA, but is willing to discuss shorter terms, Vernau said. On Monday, the commissioners voted 4-1 to schedule a public hearing for 6 p.m. Oct. 8 to take testimony on the LERTA proposal.